Helpful Information

Breeding Guarentee Program

Notification must be given to Shaffer's Goldrush within 30 days of the shipping date. No Exceptions.

This offer is good for 1 rebreed.

Semen from specific boar purchased is not guaranteed if he is already sold out (orders are filled in the order that we receive them). Substitution of boar is allowed only if original boar is sold out.

This guarantee is for semen only. No credits or refunds will be given.

Semen must be used on the same female. No substitutions to other sows.

Guarantee does not cover sows that do not cycle properly.

Guarantee is for when you breed 1 female with 2 or more doses of semen. It does not cover single dosing females or splitting doses between females.

Your account must be paid in full to take part in this breeding program.

*Note: During off season & special pricing, you can pay full price to get breeding guarantee.

Commonly Asked Questions

When are Collection Days?

We collect every Monday and Thursday with the exception of Holidays that UPS does not run. Holiday schedules will be posted on our website or you can call us for the schedule as well.

How do you ship the semen?

All semen is shipped UPS Next Day Air unless otherwise requested. In the state of Indiana, we can ship UPS Ground to save money. However UPS does not guarantee Next Day Delivery with this option, so please use at your own risk. All Rod Specials are shipped UPS Ground unless otherwise stated.

How is the semen packaged?

The semen will be packaged in a Styrofoam box that is inside of a cardboard box. We put the semen in a silver pouch along with a 63 degree gel pack. That is placed inside of the Styrofoam box along with packaging peanuts and bubbles. Then depending on the temperature outside, we add either cool or warm gel packs to help regulate the temperature inside of the box.

How can I pay for semen?

For semen being shipped out, we accept Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. Semen can also be pre-paid or shipped via COD (UPS does charge extra for this service).

Do I have Saturday delivery?

Saturday delivery is not available everywhere. Just give us a call at the office to find out if you have Saturday delivery or no. If you are needing shipped out and do not have Saturday delivery, we can ship other locations such as relatives in another town, neighboring towns, feed mills, etc. We are more than happy to work with you on finding a location.

How should I store the semen?

Semen needs to be stored at approximately 63 degrees Fahrenheit. We strongly suggest that you invest in a semen cooler that can properly store the semen. We understand that this may not be possible or feasible for all operations. For storage tips, give us a call. DO NOT store semen in the refrigerator or freezer. The cold temperatures will cause the semen to go into shock. Also keep the semen out of direct sunlight.

The bottles should be stored on their sides, and rotated gently at least 2 times a day.

Note: We have some customers that use a wine cooler to store their semen. This is a great way to save money, however wine coolers regulate the temperatures differently so place a thermometer in the wine cooler to help regulate the temperature. Basements are also a good place to store the semen. We do suggest, that no matter where you store the semen, that you have a thermometer so you can properly monitor the environment.

What is extender?

Extender is the substance that we use to dilute the semen. This is done to add longevity to the life of the semen. The extender serves as ‘food’ for the semen. That is why it is important to keep the semen gently rotated and not allow it to clump in the corners. If extender was not added the fresh semen would only live for about 30 minutes.

What kind of extender do you use?

We use Modina. This is a proven extender that is used in both the commercial and show pig communities.

What is the normal shelf life of semen?

The extender that we use is a 7 to 9 day extender. With that being said, every boar is different and has a different shelf life. There are some boars who shelf life is shorter and others whose is longer. Don’t hesitate to ask us before ordering. We also run samples of semen at least twice a week. We can always check our sample for you

I am new to A.I.ing sows, what supplies do I need?

You will need 1 breeding rod per dose of semen. These are inexpensive and should be thrown away after use.

Non-spermicidal lube – this is put on the tip of the breeding rod.

Boars – Having a boar around to help arouse the female is always the best. They react to his scent and the boars usually help the female stand better.

Boar Spray – If you are not able to have a heat check boar around, boar spray is another option. It comes in a small pump spray bottle. You spray it a few times by the nose of the female and it gives off boar pheromones.

Do you carry breeding supplies?

Yes we do. We are currently carrying spiral breeding rods, foam breeding rods, lube in both a regular size tube and a mini tube, and SOA Boar Spray.

Can we have supplies shipped with our order?

Yes you can. In a normal semen box, we can put approx. 10 to 12 breeding rods (depending on the number of doses ordered), along with the lube and boar spray. The rods are twisted and placed at the bottom of the box. We suggest that you remove them once you receive the package so they start to straighten back out. However, if you are looking for large supply of breeding rods, we suggest that you order a Rod Special. It includes 50 rods of your choice and a tube of lube. We ship that ground.

What is breed specific semen?

Breed Specific is a service that we offer our customers as a way to save money. What you do is tell us the breed you are looking for and we pick out the boar. They boar will be labeled on the semen bottle and the name of your boar will be located on the invoice as well. You can also register litters out of boars that were bought via breed specific. This is a great program to take advantage of for off-season litters or females that you are unsure of their heat cycles. The cost is $25 a dose.

When is the best time to order semen?

You can order semen any day Monday – Friday. If there is a certain boar that you would like to use, we suggest that you order as early as possible to ensure that you are able to get him. However, orders can be placed up to around 4 pm EST on day of collection. Please call as early as possible on collection days so we are able to get it packaged and ready for UPS.

Can I cancel order that I have placed.

Yes you can. All cancellations must be made by 9 am EST on the day of collection.

What are Super Saver boars?

Super Saving boars are boars that we offer at a special discounted price! They tend to be boars that are a little bit older and have been paid off. This is a great way to save money by ordering in volume.

What is the breeding guarantee and how does it work?

We offer a breeding guarantee on all boars that are priced at $100 or more and purchased at full price. If you breed your gilt/sow and she comes back in heat, let us know within 30 days of the ship date and we will replace the semen for free. (Buyer is responsible to for packaging and shipping costs) We will do this up to 2 times. No credits or refunds will be given for the breed guarantee, just semen replacement.

What is overrun semen and when does it start?

Over run semen is the semen we have on shelves after all orders have been filled. We start over run at 12 pm on Monday and Thursday (collection days) and it is available on non-collection days as well. We do not guarantee that boars will be available on over run. Pricing is usually boars priced at $150 are $75 a dose, boars priced $100 to $125 a dose go to $60 a dose and boars priced under $100 are $35 a dose. There may be a few boars that are priced differently. Check out the pricing tab on our website or ask us when ordering.

Do I need a breeding certificate and how do I get one?

Breeding Certificates are required to register any purebred litter. Once the litter is born, you can go to our home page and click on the ‘Breeding Cert’ tab or give us a call and we will take your information to get the certificate done for you. Each breed association does them alittle different. Here is the information that we will need:

Herefords
*Paper Copy Only – we will mail the paper copy to you. Please plan accordingly

Name litter is to be registered under

Tamworths
*Paper Copy Only – we will mail the paper copy to you. Please plan accordingly

Name litter is to be registered under

What is the Customer Appreciation Sale?

The Customer Appreciation Sale is held the second Saturday of March at the Wayne County fairgrounds in Richmond, IN. For this sale, we recommend that pigs are born between December 1 and January 15th and sired by boars housed at Shaffer Goldrush. More information can be found under the customer appreciation tab.